The lotus is a beautiful water plant with large, round leaves and big, colorful flowers that can be pink, white, yellow, or even red! Even though the lotus grows in dark, muddy water at the bottom of ponds, the flower always comes up looking perfectly clean and bright because its petals have a special waxy coating that makes dirt and water slide right off. Lotus leaves work the same way, so when raindrops land on them, the water rolls around like tiny silver marbles. Lotus plants have been loved and admired by people in Asia for thousands of years, and they are the national flower of both India and Vietnam!
Lotus flowers open their pretty petals in the morning when the sun comes up and close them again at night, almost like they are waking up and going to sleep just like you do! After the flower’s petals fall off, a very strange-looking seed pod is left behind that looks just like a little showerhead with holes in the top. The seeds inside can last for an incredibly long time; scientists once grew a lotus from a seed that was over 1,000 years old, making it the oldest seed ever to sprout! Lotus roots grow in the mud underwater and are crunchy and delicious to eat. In many countries, people cook lotus roots in soups and stir-fries as a yummy, healthy vegetable.